Archive for August, 2011

By Sally Cunningham As the kids go back to school and the calendar page turns to September, many gardeners and homeowners seem to hear a bell that says “The End. That’s it. Close up the garden.” And that’s just wrong. We have to change the paradigm. We can do so much in the late...Read More »

If your garden has ever been bothered by slugs, you probably already know this great tip about beer. Take an old pie tin, splash in some beer, and set the tin near your affected plants. The slugs crawl in and meet their doom. What you may not know is that slugs prefer Budweiser. At...Read More »

Children on Buffalo’s East Side have a wonderful place to learn about gardening and nutrition, thanks to the teenagers on the Green Team, an environmental job training program for high school students run by Groundwork Buffalo. The Green Team created a teaching garden at the African American Cultural Center, 350 Masten Ave., Buffalo. In...Read More »

by Connie Oswald Stofko Buffalo-area gardeners are familiar with the Japanese beetle. These bugs are pretty, but so damaging to our gardens. As you might guess from the name, Japanese beetles come from Japan, where they’re not much of a nuisance because their natural enemies keep them in check. In our area, grubs damage...Read More »

The right tool for the job can make your work easier. If you grow herbs, check out the fun selection of herb tools available at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd. (between Main St. and Wehrle Dr.), Williamsville. Cut your sprigs into strips or mince away with a multiblade scissor. Use the rocking...Read More »

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is offering a Horticulture I Certificate Program, with the first class set for Oct. 1. The program is for the serious gardener as well as for those who just want to know more than gardening basics. To earn the certificate, you must attend all six classes. (Basic...Read More »

Beginning and experienced gardeners alike enjoy daylilies. Daylilies are a great choice for beginning gardeners because they’re so easy to grow in the Buffalo area. (Heck, a plant that’s easy to grow is something we all love!) The experienced gardener who’s always looking for something new can appreciate the wide range of colors and...Read More »

In May, my garden was so boggy I thought I’d never have to water again. In June, my garden was hard as a rock. In July, we had that hot, dry spell. During the past week, we finally got some rain, but there wasn’t much. You should have been watering, too. If you can’t...Read More »

“I love the lights,” said Rosie Dubravac of 74 Simon St., Buffalo. That’s why she opened her yards for the Starry Night Garden Tour, the evening portion of the Black Rock & Riverside Tour of Gardens on Saturday, Aug. 6. It was the last garden walk of the season in Western New York. Dubravac...Read More »

The gladiolus, which is blooming in many Buffalo-area gardens now, is the birthday flower for August. I’m told you’re supposed to plant gladiolus bulbs in spring. That explains why they didn’t come up the first time I planted them– I planted them in the fall. After that fiasco, I again planted gladioluses (the plural...Read More »